The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-09-14
BOT Discussion Of the Mitshsllstcwn Affay
in the House Of Commons.
Sir Willism Vernon Hireourt Asks Biliour
Some Pertinent Questions.
The Irish Secretary Attempts to Justify the
Action Of the Police.
Mr.. Gladstone Takes q Hand in the Dis
eussion-The Policy of the Government
Decidedly Objectionable.

LONDON, September 12.-In the Com
mons this afternoon on motion that the
House go into committee on the apprO-
pIiation bill, Sir William Vernon Har-
court, Liberal, called attention to the gen.
eral policy government in Ireland especial
ly to the invasion of the rights people
respecting the holding of public meetings.
He demanded that the House be informed
OF the nature OF the instructions given the
police in Ireland regarding the line of ac-
tlon they are to pursue in respect to public
meetings, also whether the report is
true that General Sir Redater Buller has
resigned the post of under secretary for
Ireland and what were his reasons for his
resignation. He claimed that the Irish
people possessed in common with English
the right to meet and denounce the action
OF the legislative branch OF the govern
ment, and declared attempts to prevent
the holding of such meetings violations of
the common law and constitution, and
were as fragrant breach and denial of the
fundamental principles of both, and who'll
ly incompatible with the existence of free
government or the rights of the people.
Some Tory journals had suggested that
machine guns ought to be used against the
Irish people. [Cries OF what paper. The
st. James Gazette" announced the
speaker. adding: "a typical Tory organ.
Most detestable language has been used by
the Times" Sir William went on, for the
express purpose of driving the Irish to
revolt, language such as never before de-
graded the press of q free conntry.
of the advice of the Unionist
Press be followed, what between ma
chine, guns, evictions, and tory landlords,
soon very few Irish people would be left"
He was confident, he said, the Irish peo-
pie would persist in the prudence and
calmness they had already exhibited, If
anything was dear to the English it was
the right of public meeting which the
government was now trampling upon.
with their new doctrine upon the
people of England. The coun-
try would make short work
of them. The heart of England was with
the Irish in vindicating the right of public
meeting and would support them until
justice was done.
Meetings must continue to be held in all
parts of Ireland. Parnellite cheers If
thers was one lesson in history of politics
cause which could not bear open discussion
already lost. lCheersl The Governments
dread Of public meetings would seal the
doom of their Irish policy.
Mr.. Balfour, chief secretary Ireland,
announced that q telegram had been re.
ceived regarding the affray at Lisdoonvar-
ma last night. The dispatch stated that
five Moonlighters were captured. Consta-
BILE Wheeler was killed and three others
seriously hurt. A number OF rifles and re-
volvers, and quantity of ammunition,
was captured. The five men captured were
arrested inside of the house of a farmer
named Sexton. Two more were identified
to-day. Farmer Sexton, whom the gang
meant to murder, had been summoned by
the League and censured, and he had
promised to surrender his farm, but did
M dn Gn Tho fharof0ra ont h 20
house and we're about to shoot him, when
the police, who lay in ambush, surprised
them.
MR BALFoUR's REPLY.
Mr.. Balfour, replying to Harcourt, said
the instructions the police were now acting
under, were the same they received when
Sir William was a member of the Glad
stone Government. [Cheers With re-
gard to Gen. Butler, Mr.. Balfour said he
always acted In perfect harmony with the
present Government. His appointment as
Under Secretary tor Ireland was only
temporary, and he resigned now simply
because he desired not to delay his return
to the War Office. (Cries "0h," sob"
from Parnellites.) II any one supposed
Gen. Buller's retirement was due in the
slightest degree to q difference of opinion
with him (Balfour( the supposition was
absolutely false.
Referring to Sir William, contention
that his suppression of public meetings il
legal, Mr.. Balfour said he did not know at
what period Sir William lost his knowledge
OF the law but il was a matter of history
under the common law of Ireland. Sir
William himself acted with Gladstone and
Forster in proclaiming 40 meetings.
lCheers. 1t was again and again stated
when these meetings were proclaimed that
the act Of 1882 did not contain any new
powers. The question really was not
whether the Governments action was legal
but whether 1t was polite. An important
element to consider was the condition of
the district Of Ennis. notorious centre of
agrarian crime. 1t is absurd to describe
such meetings as for free discussion. They
were. heralded by placards Of an indamma-
tory nature. Obviously their object was
to defeat the laws, and foster outrages and
intimidation.
THE MuTcHELLsTowE ARRAY.
Regarding the MitcheIIstown affair, Mr..
Balfour said it had been clearly ascertained
that the action of the police was in the
face OF extreme provocation lcr1es of "Ohl
OhF'l. The police were assaulted with
stones and black thorn sticks before they
drew their basons Icries Of mol No"
thrown into disorder by charge Of horse
men, which knocked down and wounded
number and forced the rest to fly
for their lives, did the police fire.
1t was absolutely necessary for
them fire to protect the barracks and the
unfortunate police strgsglers outside.
ICries of ''0h, Oh" cheers. The firing
was not the random firing of men in pam
ic, but q deliberate act under the order of
their commanding officer. He maintained
that the conduct OF the police amply,
justified that they were in no way to blame,
the sole responsibility resting upon those
who convoked the meeting. [Cheers
Sir William had on his lips the words, lib.
erty, justice and free speech, bat
the actual weapons, he and
his friends used in the Irish contest were
an obstruction In Parliament and resis-
tanee to the law outside, violence and in
timidation, worse than violence. CCheers-1
The opposition maut to further infame
the passions Of the Irish. drying them
INTO resistance to the law of liberty,
founded upon sn order once dear 10 bofA